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PHILADELPHIA – The Eagles have holes to fill on defense, particularly at safety and at outside linebacker.

But, on Thursday, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman gave the impression that the Eagles might not select one of those players, especially early in the NFL draft, which begins next Thursday and runs through May 10. The Eagles pick 22nd in the first round.

Roseman said the Eagles will stick to their recent history of drafting the best player available. That means a wide receiver, the deepest position in the draft, could be in the mix early, even though that's not the Eagles' biggest need. Roseman said the Eagles have 10 wide receivers graded as first- or second-rounders.

"When we look at our board about how good the receivers are in this draft, I think there will be a point in this draft – and that could be in the seventh round when we have a guy [pegged] in the fourth round – that there's going to be a really talented receiver," Roseman said. "When we look at our board, it's a position of strength."

It's almost certain that Clemson's Sammy Watkins, Texas A&M's Mike Evans and LSU's Odell Beckham Jr. will be gone by the time the Eagles pick. That could leave someone like Southern Cal's Marquise Lee, Indiana's Cody Latimer, Oregon State's Brandin Cooks or Florida State's Kelvin Benjamin for the Eagles in the first round.

The Eagles released DeSean Jackson and Jason Avant over the past six weeks after the team set several offensive team records last season. They've kept Jeremy Maclin, who didn't play last year because of ACL surgery, as well as Riley Cooper and traded for pass-catching running back Darren Sproles.

Still, selecting a receiver would follow the Eagles' recent history. Last year, for example, the Eagles selected offensive players in three of the first four rounds despite glaring needs on defense.

Roseman said defensive players aren't as appealing this year. Alabama's Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Louisville's Calvin Pryor are considered the top two safeties in the draft, but both are expected to be taken before the Eagles pick.

"I don't think it's a good group overall," Roseman said about the safeties. "I think you're talking about a dropoff certainly when you get into Saturday [for Rounds 4-7]."

It's the same way with a pass rushing linebacker. UCLA's Anthony Barr is expected to be gone by No. 22. At cornerback, Virginia Tech's Kyle Fuller could be available.

Roseman didn't rule out trading to move up, even though the Eagles have just six picks in the seven-round draft. If they trade up, chances are they'd have to surrender another draft pick. NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said the only two players he could see the Eagles moving up for would be Clinton-Dix or Barr.

"We would not be concerned with [trading picks to move up] if we felt like the value of the player is right," Roseman said. "That's the name of the game. We're not going to make any move unless it's based on our board. … Would we look at that? No question."

But that goes against Roseman's beliefs. He likes having as many picks as possible. In fact, during the sixth round of last year's draft, Roseman said he had to leave the room and walk around the complex. The Eagles didn't have a pick that round, and he was afraid that he'd trade away a future pick to get one.

"It hurts when you're sitting in a round without a pick," he said.

Roseman knows the Eagles can't address all of their needs in this draft. But he's excited to have the chance.

"If you look back at successful drafts, if you can come out of it with three starters, that is a really good draft," Roseman said. "There are not a lot of drafts that you can come out and do that. We still have enough picks to do that."